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 The White House insisted the meeting would focus on eastern
Ukraine, where Russian-backed forces are fighting the Kiev
government, prompting tough sanctions that have damaged Russia's
economy.
Moscow, however, said the main focus would be on Syria, where Russia
has built up its military forces in recent weeks with combat
aircraft, tanks and other equipment in support of President Bashar
al-Assad.
Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters: "Of course, the
primary topic will be Syria." Asked whether Ukraine would be
discussed, he said: "Well, if time allows."
"There will be time," Obama's spokesman, Josh Earnest, retorted
during a briefing in Washington. Earnest, speaking at the White
House, played down the possibility for any "major announcement" from
the meeting.
 The leaders will be in New York to address the United Nations
General Assembly on Monday morning. Peskov said the meeting would
take place after Putin's speech, but Earnest declined to say when it
would happen.
The two camps also differed over who called for the meeting. The
Kremlin said it was organized "by mutual agreement," but Earnest
said it was being held at Putin's request. He said the Russians were
"more desperate" to talk to their American counterparts because of
the economic sanctions' impact.
In an interview with CBS's 60 Minutes, Putin said he believes the
only solution to fighting terrorism in Syria is through
strengthening "effective government structures."
Past meetings between the two leaders have been frosty. One
encounter in June 2013, which also focused on Syria, resulted in a
famous photo of the leaders looking distant and glum.
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Earnest said Putin had used similar body language in a photo after a
meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week.
"President Putin was striking a now-familiar pose of
less-than-perfect posture, an unbuttoned jacket, and knees spread
far apart, to convey a particular image," Earnest said.
The United States also hopes to advance political talks on Syria at
other General Assembly meetings, Sheba Crocker, assistant secretary
for international organization affairs, told a State Department
briefing.
But Crocker said the United States would not back a U.N. Security
Council statement on countering terrorism proposed by Russia because
of fears it would send the wrong message to U.S. partners in the
fight against Islamic State militants in Syria.
(Additional reporting by Jeff Mason, Doina Chiacu, Mohammad Zargham
and Darya Korsunskaya; Editing by David Storey and Jonathan Oatis)
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